The Future's Blueprint
by Love-in-the-Stars
Summary: This is what made Steve finally decide to accept the offer into the Avengers and it had nothing to do with Fury. Slight S/T but easily ignored as growing friendship.


**Pairing/characters:** Pre-slash Steve/Tony

**Warnings:** None

**Spoilers:** Minor. This fic is a look at one of the ways Steve could have become an Avenger. Borrows from different versions of Marvel including: some of Rhodey's dialect from The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes cartoon, Movie!Verse in regards to Stane's betrayal and also just AU in a way which Steve was defrosted before the creation of the first Avengers team and as such was it's second member behind Tony though there is no detail on who will lead the team since the team isn't actually created yet.

**Word count: **2826

**Summary:**This is what made Steve finally decide to accept the offer into the Avengers and it had nothing to do with Fury.

* * *

><p>Steve had not meant to find himself in this position and was frankly appalled at himself. It was terribly impolite to eavesdrop but he'd gotten bored in his room and set out to find Tony. The son of Howard was truly curious, he was much like Howard and yet nothing like him at all. He wanted to talk to him some more, maybe learn a few things about what had happened to his friends later in their lives while he was frozen.<p>

Perhaps that was a somewhat morbid desire but luckily that wasn't the only thing fueling Steve's hunt through the winding halls. He also just wanted to talk. Tony Stark was interesting, highly intelligent and possessed of a wit that Steve liked, even if it took some getting used to. It helped that he recognized a glimmer of something beneath the snapped insults and Steve was curious.

Which led him to his current issue as he stood just outside the door to Stark's Iron Man containment hanger. He'd already checked the other's bedroom but it didn't look much lived in except for sleeping and it didn't appear that Tony liked sleep all that much. In fact, Steve wasn't sure Tony had slept at all since he'd moved into the genius' mansion a few days ago. Tony seemed to spend much of his time in the lab below the mansion or in the hanger itself.

The doors were open a bit and glowing blue light was spilling from the cracks. The sound of raised voices had stopped him because it sounded like Tony but someone else was in there with him.

Normally Steve would have turned away by now but the sudden, loud statement itself gave him pause.

"You don't have to do it alone you know!"

That was the voice he didn't recognize but Tony's answer came from closer to the door and as such a bit clearer to Steve despite being much lower in volume. "Do what?"

"All this!" The voice was male and exasperated but underlain by worry. "Taking on S.H.I.E.L.D, giant robots and super villains, the whole world doesn't have to rest on your shoulders!"

"Yeah it does." Tony snapped back before relenting after a quiet moment, "I mean, I know you guys, you and Pepper, are always there for me but against this? Rhodey, who's gonna help me? Most of the world knows me as Tony Stark and they hate me. The rest of the people who know I'm Iron Man also hate me, though perhaps for different reasons. This team I'm trying to put together, it's not gonna work. As a general rule, superheroes don't mingle and they don't work together, least of all with me."

"Tony..."

"The fact remains, I am on my own for this and who's to say that's not how it should be? You can't deny that some of these situations are faults of my own. Stark Industries and my weapons have fueled Hydra's power and that's on me!"

"That's not your fault though! You can't be held responsible for what Stane was doing and the only one really blaming you is yourself."

"You mean besides the rest of the world?"

"The rest of the world doesn't know what really happened to you." The other voice softened and became positively gentle.

"That's not my point."

"What is your point then, Tony?"

"My point," Tony hesitated but only for a moment, "is that I'm extremely thankful for you, Rhodey, but I have to do what I have to do and if I have to do it alone then so be it."

That was an efficient end of conversation if Steve had even heard one and he quickly retreated before Tony could come through the doors and catch him listening to something he had no right hearing. Steve retreated to the main room and settled down on one of the lush couches. It was a comfortable spot to think on what he'd heard and he couldn't deny his sudden feeling of discomfort over it.

He'd turned down Tony's offer to work with him on getting together a team of superheroes because he didn't feel like he was deserving of a position like that. He wasn't a hero no matter how much people had made him look like one. Steve had only done what he did because it was the only thing _to _do, it wasn't as though there was another super soldier for the army to pick from.

Tony on the other hand, he thought Tony was doing this because he wanted to, that he'd made the Iron Man for this purpose but that conversation...made him doubt his first assessment. What was the story behind Tony Stark? What made him go from weapons manufacturing to the technical inventions that he now based his company off of? Why was he Iron Man, what happened to him?

"Steve?"

The super soldier didn't startle but it was a close thing when Tony's voice cut through his questioning thoughts as if they'd summoned the man. Tony was standing in the large doorway, a cup of coffee steaming in one hand as his other clutched some technological gadget. "Settling in well? If you need anything don't forget to let me or JARVIS know."

"Yes, thank you, the house is...wonderful." Steve said, shifting a bit as Tony approached to take a seat on the opposite side of the couch. His response made Tony laugh.

"I suppose that's one word for it." Tony sipped from his coffee and settled the tablet on his lap, mouth curved in amusement.

Steve almost blushed, thinking he'd bumbled something. "I mean, I'm extremely grateful for inviting me into your home."

"Oh, don't worry about that. It's not as though I don't have the space here." Tony said, tapping something on the glowing screen and gracefully arching his finger across the surface. "Staying at S.H.I.E.L.D would have driven you insane, I've seen those closets they call rooms."

Tony didn't actually scoff but he might as well have considering the way the word rooms sounded coming out. Steve grinned, "That's likely true." They lapsed into a comfortable silence as Tony worked and Steve wondered again about the man sitting next to him.

"How are you?" he said finally.

"Hmm?" Tony muttered, visibly dragging himself away from the glowing tablet. "What was that, Cap?"

Steve blinked and almost said something about having already said he wasn't Captain America anymore but let it go. Tony didn't make it sound like an obligation or an insult, it sounded like just another way of saying 'Steve' when Tony said it.

"Are you okay? I heard about the giant robots, earlier?"

Tony looked over at him sharply, surprise evident in his eyes before vanishing behind a self-confident smirk. "Ah, right. Turns out Hydra thought it would be a good idea to try going after the United Nations again and with outdated androids at that. The tech was nothing special but there were four of them this time. They usually only attack with one of the big multi-legged things and an android or two but they'd upped the number of androids this time. Didn't help them in the slightest of course and gave me only a bit extra trouble. S.H.I.E.L.D showed up practically after the main event and then had the balls to chew me out for getting involved." Tony snorted and glowered down at his tablet. "Fury doesn't have a clue what would happen to them if I weren't around to be their heavy hitter."

That made it even more obvious that the Director and Tony had some sort of persistent issue between them and Steve filed it away to think about later. "And what about you? You weren't hurt at all?" He looked okay but Steve had long ago learned not to trust some people's ability to admit injury even to themselves.

The question earned Steve another momentarily bewildered look from the genius before Tony shrugged easily, "No, I'm fine. Despite what one would think, my suit isn't fragile and neither am I."

That's not what I meant, Steve almost said but nodded instead. "I'm glad. One fighter outnumbered like that can be a daunting task."

The look tossed at him then was sharp, as if Tony was insulted but the man said nothing and looked down at his tablet. Steve wasn't quite sure what about his words had been insulting, Tony's efforts were a good thing and he had every reason to be proud. Still, the words from before about the team were bothering him, was Tony really going to give up looking for help?

"And how is your team coming? Have you asked anyone else?"

Tony's fingers stumbled through the holograms he'd called up over the tablet and didn't look at Steve. "A few, it's probably not going to work out though. Superheroes are not known for being able to work together well. Too many conflicting ideas or personalities. They work better alone and some just can't leave their cities, which is understandable. And the ones who live here...well they're not keen on the idea either. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much otherwise."

"Only a few though, right?" Steve persisted, seeing defeat in the slope of Tony's shoulders seemed distinctly wrong. "You haven't actually asked them all?"

With a sigh of exasperation, Tony flicked the power button on his tablet and turned, "Steve, seriously, it's fine. I get that you're worried or something but trust me, I can handle this city. Hell, I can handle this city _and_ lend S.H.I.E.L.D a hand whenever they're in over their heads. You don't have to worry, Cap."

"That's not what I meant, Tony." Steve said, slightly frustrated that the other seemed determined not to understand him. He wasn't trying to undermine Tony's efforts or insinuate that he's was not capable but that seemed to be what Tony was hearing. "I'm just trying to say that you shouldn't have to do everything by yourself. It's unreasonable and unfair to put all that on you."

But rather then relaxing, Tony only stiffened up, shoulders set in defense. "I can handle it, I've been handling it and I will keep handling it. Thank you for your concern though, Steve, and have a good night." Before Steve could stop him, Tony was up and retreating, disappearing down one of the seemingly endless hallways.

Sighing heavily, Steve dropped his head into his hands and shook it slowly. "How, exactly, did that go so badly?" he muttered to himself.

"If I might offer a suggestion Mr. Rogers?" The voice of JARVIS startled Steve almost violently and he held a hand over his chest as he exhaled.

"JARVIS! Um...yes, of course, sure."

"Mr. Stark will not ask for help because he does not believe himself worthy of it. If you wish to aid him the best thing you can do is offer it yourself. He admires you, respects you and looks up to you. You are Captain America, Steve Rogers, he is Iron Man. That is a team that will inspire cooperation and interest in the others. You set a tradition years ago, what is to stop you from setting another now?"

"I am not a hero!"

"You are to him and the rest of the world." JARVIS said factually and Steve shook his head. "What else will you do, sir? You are Captain America so the only question here is, what will you do now? You have the ability to fight, will you?"

Steve sighed again and leaned back on the couch, thoughtful. "When you put it that way, it hardly seems like a question at all."

"Tell Mr. Stark that and however you put it, do not imply you are doing this because you feel he is not capable of doing it himself."

"I don't feel like that but somehow that's what he thought I was saying before!" Steve said loudly in frustration.

"Don't make it about him in any way and he won't think that."

"Right, okay." Steve stood up and looked around the sitting room, "where is he?"

"In the workshop sir, would you like me to call him up?"

"Am I allowed to go down and see him myself?"

The AI took a moment to respond, as if weighing the question. "I will open the doors."

"Thank you."

"You are welcome."

Following JARVIS' directions through the mansion made Steve infinitely grateful toward the AI, he would never have found the correct way without it and in only minutes found himself standing outside the glass doors separating him from Tony's workshop. With a hiss they opened free of his touch and Steve entered with the sound of JARVIS announcing his arrive to Tony through the speakers.

There was a mutter of voice that was too low for him to catch before rising, "Over here Steve!"

Following Tony's call, he maneuvered his way through the cluttered mess of tools and metals and complex machines that he didn't have the first clue about. Then the man in question came into view and Steve had to pause. Tony was dressed in different clothes from just a while ago, namely a snug pair of worn jeans and a dirty black t-shirt.

Tony turned away from the table he was bent over and leaned against it instead. "What can I do for you, Cap?"

Now faced with that expectant and guarded face, Steve found himself momentarily at a loss over how to do this part. "Well, I was hoping, I mean, is that spot on your team still open to me?"

"Open?" Tony's eyes narrowed in suspicion and something that looked unsettling like hurt, "why are you asking?"

"I'm reconsidering my answer."

"What for? I already told you I can handle this! I don't need your help." Tony snapped, setting down a wrench with a bit more strength then necessary.

"I know that, this isn't about you, not exclusively."

"How do you mean?"

"I know I said earlier that I'm not Captain America anymore but...I guess that's not true. Saying that just feels wrong. I am Captain America and I fight, that's what I do. Talking to you earlier made me realize something. Just because the times have changed doesn't mean my purpose is invalid. As long as there is a bad person to fight then I should be fighting."

Tony was staring at him intently, unfazed. "That doesn't mean you have to team up with me, you are perfectly welcome to strike out on your own. I'll get you anything you need and do a check up on your shield."

"I don't want to fight alone, I want to work with you. I want to start a team, a genuine team of superheroes. Your idea is brilliant, Tony, and it can work! All we have to do is prove it." Steve said, throwing all his conviction into the words and prayed they would be enough to break through Tony's defense.

After a long moment and Steve began to worry, Tony smiled, a wide stretch of mouth that helped ease the lines of exhaustion there. "Okay. Okay, yeah, I'd like that."

That smile, Steve thought, a little thrown, was quite amazing. "Good, thank you."

"No, thank you, but hey, listen. So, I was thinking, not all the heroes fly right? So I went through some of the old blueprints of other jets and thought I could alter them into a vessel big enough to carry us but still contain all the maneuverability and firepower as an attack ship." Tony went on, hands slicing through air as he spoke as rapid fire as he did everything else but Steve had given up on listening. He watched instead as enthusiasm lit up Tony from the inside out and settled against a nearby work top to observe the genius at work.

There was still a lot about this man that he didn't yet know and he didn't have any of the answers to his earlier questions but really, he was okay with that. For now, Steve decided to work at earning this man's trust and wait for Tony to give him the answers instead of trying to guess them himself.

Steve was years out of his time but for the first time since waking up, he didn't feel quite so alone about that. So, he watched and he listened as Tony wove the future into diagrams and blueprints, confident that when it came down to it he could trust Tony not to leave him behind.


End file.
